SHUEY TAKES EARLY LEAD AT CORSEMAX/PHILADELPHIA RUNNER JUNIOR Kwon, Shimel tied at top of Girls Division leaderboard

ELVERSON, Pa. — Jordan Shuey, 17, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., posted a 2-under-par 68 to lead the Boys Division by two strokes after Tuesday's opening round of play at the CorseMax/Philadelphia Runner Junior. Lynda Kwon, 18, of North Wales, Pa., and Christine Shimel, 17, of Kennett Square, Pa., both posted 7-over-par 77s to top the Girls Division leaderboard.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the CorseMax/Philadelphia Runner Junior features 99 players from 14 states, Canada and Poland. The field consists of 75 boys and 24 girls, ages 12-18. The Boys Division is playing the par-70 Stonewall Links — North Course at 6,639 yards while the Girls Division is playing the course at 5,881 yards.

On a day when the wind sent balls into the high fescue, Shuey managed to keep his ball in play and carded the only under-par round of the day

“I drove the ball pretty well,” Shuey said. “I kept it in the fairway and didn't get in the long stuff at all which was good.”

Fast greens did not shake Shuey's game either.

“The greens are a little tough, so I expected some three putts out here; it's just that kind of course,” Shuey said. “So I will continue to work on my short game this week.”

Andrew Lane, of Fairport, N.Y., sits in second place at even-par 70. Bradley Kushner of Mendham, N.J., and Brad Cadigan of South Weymouth, Mass., are tied in third place at 1-over-par 71. In fifth place is Alec Pakzad of Bellevue, Wash., at 3-over-par 73.

In the Girls Division, Kwon and Shimel both managed to tame the difficult Stonewall Links greens, capitalizing on 5-foot putts to save par. Kwon made no worse than bogey on any hole and had chip-ins on Nos. 4 and 16.

“Getting the ball to stay on the green was difficult,” Kwon said. “Many of putts just kept on rolling, so I was forced to make long putts to save par and I did that.”

Shimel struggled a bit on the front nine, but managed to card an even-par 36 on the back nine. She carded birdies on Nos. 3 and 17.

“I didn't get myself into many tricky situations out there,” Shimel said. “I left some shots out there, but I think that everyone did today.”

Bridgitte Baker, 16, of McLean, Va., sits in third place, one stroke back after shooting 8-over-par 78.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.

The largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has an annual junior membership — boys and girls ages 12-18 — of more than 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and more than 25 foreign countries.

Titleist, the AJGA's National Sponsor, has been the catalyst and driving force behind the Association's success since 1989. Rolex Watch USA, which is in its third decade of AJGA support, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2007, after 12 years of support, Polo Ralph Lauren became the AJGA's second Premier Partner.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.

The second round of the CorseMax/Philadelphia Runner Junior is Wednesday, August 13 with tee times running off the first tee from 7:30 a.m. — 12:18 p.m. at Stonewall Links — North Course. For more information about the CorseMax/Philadelphia Runner Junior, please contact Tournament Director Adam Johnson at (678) 485-1135.

Mission Statement

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf.